One of the most important strategic-development directions of Serbia in the 21st century is restoration of hilly-mountainous regions. Stara Planina represents the region with extraordinary natural potentials almost unused, especially the part upstream of the reservoir Zavoj. Development of sheep raising on huge meadow-pasture surfaces in the catchment of river Visocica is possible, taking into account natural characteristics of the area, education and tradition of inhabitants. Catchment area of river Visocica provides water for water-supply reservoir Zavoj, so it is very important to apply erosion control measures on the slopes, as well as stopping the eroded material and pollutants before reaching the water courses. Agroforestry is optimal system of land use, with indispensable conservation and protective measures.

Forest ecosystems are important component of environment and row basis for wood processing industry. Traditional attitude about primate of productive functions in relation to useful functions, is under question, due to next reasons: exhaustion of sources of wood mass; affirmation of protective and regulative functions in domains of water-supply and erosion control. This attitide os represented in basic plan documents in Serbia, as well as in European Union. Protection, care of existing, and restoration of degraded forests, are the possibilities for development of high-profitable activities such as: recreation and sport tourism, hunting tourism and healthy food production.

The role of forest belts for surface water protection has great importance in two geomorphological ambiances: plains and hilly-mountainous. Plains ambiances are concerned to regions where dominates wind erosion: Backa, Banat, Macva, sandy terrains (Deliblatska, Suboticko-Horgoska, Ramsko-Golubacka, Kladovska), spacious surfaces in surroundings of hydrosystem DTD, natural and artificial reservoirs, river beds. Hilly-mountainous ambiance is related to regions where dominates pluvial erosion: catchment areas of reservoirs for water supply south from Sava and Danube, Fruska Gora mountain and Vrsac mountains.